Convertible bridge and poker table tops



July 5, 1960 Filed Nov. 24, 1958 W. F. MCMECHEN CONVERTIBLE BRIDGE AND POKER TABLE TOPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM E MC MECHEN ATTORNEYS July 5, 1960 w. F. MCMECHEN 2,943,902

CONVERTIBLE BRIDGE AND POKER TABLE TOPS Filed Nov. 24, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet z Til-:LE

' ATTORNEYS July 5, 1960 w. F. MCMECHEN CONVERTIBLE BRIDGE AND POKER TABLE TOPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 24, 1958 dwi- I 'IIIIIIII I(II I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIlI/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR ..lEl

WILL/AM E MCMECHEN kh I ATTORNEYS coNvERTmLE BRIDGE roKERTn IsE'ToPs e WilliamFuMcMechen, Yorktown Village, Md.,'- assignor! of one-half to Herbert Jacobi, Washington, D.C.

1 'FiledNo 24, 1958, Set. N; 77s,ss4

7 Claims. .(Cl. 312-235 "v larly to a table top; whichmay-be conveniently converted for use as a bridge or poker table.

As is well known, a bridge table is commonly rec- -tangular and presents a smooth upper surface'for receiva. ingithe cards while a poker table may be rectangular or of other: shapes and-is commonly provided with pockets .or shelves around the'outside thereof to receive'poker V chips or other articles; 'Heretofore, removable shelves have been provided to be secured to-the edge of a bridge -table-forsupporting beverage containers or other articles -.and there have also been proposed shelves -or compartmentsjwhich may-be attached to abridge table; for receivi ng-poker chips or other articles. ,These prior art devices,-.however, were-somewhat inconvenient: to store. and utilize since the article supporting shelves were sep-' 1 arate fromthe table and must be separately stored and applied when it is desired to utilize the same and consequently considerable effortfis required and also there is the everpres'ent "danger that theseremovable shelves 1 will be broken or misplaced.

It is accordingly an olbject of the invention to provide like and which shelves may be pivotally moved to an 1 extended position for use as a poker table or may be moved into recesses which completely house the shelves and permit use of the device as a bridge table.

1 A further object of the invention is the provision of a convertible bridge and-poker table top which may be provided with foldable legs or which may be provided merely in the form of a table topwhich'may be supported on aconventional bridge table or other suitable supporting means.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of aconvertible bridge and poker table top in which a triangular recess is provided in each side edge of the table top for receiving a shelf which is pivotally mounted on a the table top and movable out of the recess to a-position in alignment With a side edge of the table and projecting therefrom or movable into the recess for housing the shelf with the outer side wall of each shelf in alignment with the adjacent side edge of the table in order to pro vide a table top convenient for bridge playing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a convertible bridge and poker table top having a frame provided by diagonal members and with top and bottom Walls on opposite sides of the frame, the space-between the top and bottom walls providing triangular recesses g may be moved into the recesses and completely housed therein to provide a bridge table top.

"A further object of the invention is the provision of a convertible bridge and poker table top having a frame provided by diagonal members and top and bottom walls i on opposite sides of thediagonal members witlrthe bot- .jji'o.

.Furtheri manda va a ese fil heriav nti n w ll p 2 tom wall projecting outwardly of the top wall.to.provide a shelf extending around the top wallon allzsidesr of the table top.

A still further object of the invention-is the provision Y of a convertible bridgep and poker table top-having a frame provided by diagonal members .andtop and bottom walls secured to opposite sides of the diagonal members and with a downwandly opening recess providedin the 1 bottom -wallfor receivingthe top-of -a qsuit-ahlesupporting; member.

ppar nt from: l ewinsrdesm p oi -te emin njunction with theaccompanying drawingscwherein:

Fig- Ht PPMHYiQ fEO ea v n .l -brid'g and P ker ble t p: cons ruc e e-iu: accori ane w hrz hi n- -vention; v r Fig. 2 abottom-plan'yiew of the table top'shown in Figil and withsupporting legs in -foldedposition; Fig. 3 a top-plan view of the table topshown in Fig. 1 but with movable shelves for -converting thetable top from a-brid'ge=table to apokertable shown in lihGzVfil'lOllS 4 positions occupied dLH'lHgtOPBlEItlOIlOf the-same;

Fig. 4 a top plan'view of'a' tablertopi constructed' in accordance with this invention arid-:withi the shelves in extended position :to provide a poker-tabletop; Fig. 5a sectional view takensubstantiallyson the line 55 of Fig. 3;' V

Fig. 6 a fragmentary sectional view taken-substantially entire line #6 of Fig. 3; j i Fig. 7 a fragmentary sectionaliview taken substantially on'theline7 -7ofFig. 3; Fig. Sa-toppIa'n viewofa slightly=modified form of the invention and showing ashelf in dotted outli-ne and in various positions occupied during operation thereof;

in Fig. 8; and I Fig. 10 a sectional' view taken substantially-on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

' With continued reference to the drawings and particularly Figs. l7,there'is shown aconvertibl'e' bridge and poker table topconstructed in accordance-with this invention and which may well comprise a frameprovided by diagonal members 16 and 11" secured together as i a shownlin-dotted lines in Fig. 3 and-to one side-ofw vhich issecured in any-suitable manner abottom' iwa'll 12. A -rectangular top wall 13 is secured" tothefopposite' side of thediagonal members '10 and il' andjifde sired as shown in Fig.5, the "bottom waltz mayibe proyided with a downwardly extending'peripheral vlijangefl l If v desired; foldable legs '15, '16, 17 and 18 may b'e'mounted on thefbottom wall 12 bysuitablehinge andg'locking means19, 2.0, 21 and 22 and this'leg and mounting structure is similar to the 'conventionaifoldable legs utilized on ordinary bridge tables. If desired, the folding legs jmay be completely omitted and the tabletop of this invention supported on'a conventional bridge'table orfother suitable support. 1

The diagonal members It) and lrtog ether with the bottom and top walls 12 and 13 provide'outwardly"opening triangular recesses 23, '24, 25 and26 inieach'side edge of the table top and these recessesserve' to receive 1 t and house triangular-shelves-W,'28,29" and 30, respectively. Ea-ch of the triangular shelves ar'e provide d with upstanding inner side walls 31 and 32; anouterside-Wall 3'3 and a central upstanding partition 34 eirtending from the apex of the inner side walls- 31- and 32 to the outer side wall 33 to divide each shelf into two compartments 35 and 36 having a common bottom wall 37. i ,7 i

Each of the shelves 27, 28, -29' arid 30 is "hingedly mounted on the diagonal members-10 and-=1 1 "adjacent theco rne rs of the tabletop -b3e-rneans of hinge plates Fig. 9 a sideelevationalview of the-=table--top-shown V hinge 40oextending through the, hinge members 38' and'39 and to the diagonal members and 11 t o pivotan mount each shelf for swinging movement in a horizont-al plane.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,"the shelves 27, 28, 29 and 30 may. bereceived in the triangular recesses 23, 24, 25 I and 2 6 to completely house the shelves within the confines of the table top and in this condition the table top is suitable for use as ,a bridge table. Whenit is desired 7 to convert the same for use as a poker table, the shelves are swung outwardly from the'triangular recesses in the direction of the arrows asshown in Fig. 3, it being noted for instance, thatthe shelf 30 is swung outwardly from the triangular'recess 26 to a position as shown in full lines in Fig. 4 and the other shelves are likewise swung outwardly and into position in a similar manner. In this waythe table top'is provided on all sides with triangular shelves having two compartments for receiving poker chips or the like. When play has been completed or it is desired to convert the'table top for use as a bridge tab1e,it is only necessary to swing the shelves 27, 28, 29

and 30 from their extended position as shown in Fig. 4

to their completely housed position in the triangular re-' a cesses asshowniin Figs. land'ZL The shelves maybe removably retained in closed or extended position'by a suitable detent 41 on the bottom-wall 12 which engages' ina downwardly opening recess 42 in the underFsideofI l the outer side wall 33 of each shelf. y

A slightly modified form of the invention isshown in ;1 Figs. 8; 9 and 10' and in thisform of the invention there "may be provided a frame composed of diagonal members 43 and 44 to one side of which is secured a bottom wall 45 and to the upper side of which is'secured a top wall j 46. As bestshown in Fig..l0, the bottom wall 45 extends outwardly of the top wall 46, to provide :a marginal shelf 47 extending around the top wall 46 on all sides thereof.

j Also provided in the bottom wall 45 is a downwardly with said top and bottom WaIIspr'ovidingEanfoutwardly opening triangular recesson each sidd'edg'e ofgsaid table top, a triangular shelf removably receiyed in each recess, each shelf having upstanding sidewalls and acentral up-' tainers or other articles. 'When it isodesired to convert the'table top for use as a poker table the shelves 51 are swung outwardly of the triangular recesseszto the extended position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 'at which time there is providedon each side of the table an outwardly extending shelf having the two poker chip or other article receiving compartments 56 and 57 and there is also provided between each shelf at a corner of the table an additional shelf space 65 which may be utilized for any desired purpose.

' The convertible bridge and poker table top of thisin vention may be constructed of any desired materials or combination of materials'such; as wood, plastic, metal or the like and as will be seen from the above, this table top provides an extremely convenient and highly usable article of furniture which may be easily converted for use as a bridge or poker table and also conveniently stored when not in use. The structure is entirely unitary in that 7 no separable parts or elements are utilized and conse-. quently there is no danger of misplacement of parts and little danger of breakage or damage; 7 V It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention'without departing from the spirit and's'cope thereof and therefore the invention isnotlimited to that'which is shown in the drawings and describedin the specification, butonly as indicated in the appended claims. 7 7 What is claimed is:... Y

, :1. .A convertible bridge and poker table top comprising a frame provided by diagonal members, arectangular a a 7 bottom wall secured 'to said frame, a rectangular top wall secured to said frame, said ldiagon al 'membersj together standing partition dividing each shelf-into two'compart i ments, hinge means pivotally mounting each shelf on said opening recess 48 of rectangular or other suitable con- V V figuration which serves to receive the top 49 of a con- 1 ventional card table 50 or other suitable means for supporting the table top of this invention. 7

"As in the previous form of the-invention described bottom wall 45 and top wall 46 provide outwardly openingtriangularrecesses on each side of the table top and a V removably received within' these recesses are triangular shelves 51 having upstanding inner side walls 52 and 53 and upstandingouter sidewall 54 and a ,centralpartitionlwall 55 extending from the apex of the sidewalls,

52 and 53 to'the outer sidewall 54 to provide two'com v partments'56 and 57 having a common bottom wall 58. V 1 The outer end of each, diagonal member 43.;and 44 is p ,provided with spaced ears 59 and 60 and disposed between these earsis ailug 61 projecting from one 'end of the outer wall 5410f each shelf 51'. A hingepin 62 exofieach shelf '51.

When it is desired to use thetable top shown in 'Figs,

8-10 as a' bridge table the shelves 51are completely j housed within the triangular recesses with the outer side 54 in alignmentwith the side edgesof the top wall ,46of the table top "and in this condition there is provided thejmarginal shelf 47- extending around the table top 46 7 forsupporting suitable articlessuch as beverage conframe at one corner of said table top formovement in a horizontal plane, whereby each'shelfm'ay be swung out of the recess in one side edge of'said table top to a position in alignment with and projecting outwardly of the adjacent side edge-of said'table top to provide 'a poker.

' table top and whereby each shelfmay be swung into said recesses' with the outer wall of each shelf in alignment with the adjacent side edge of said top -wa1l'to provide a 7 bridge table top and detent means for releasably holding said shelves in extended or housed position.

2. A convertible bridgeand poker table top compris- '7 ing a frame provided by diagonalv members, a bottom wallsecured to said frame, a top .wallsecured to said I frame, said diagonal members together-with'said'top and p I 7 bottom walls providing'an'outwardly opening:triangular recesson each side edge' of said table top, a-tria'ngular shelf removably received in each recess, each shelf'having upstanding side walls] and hinge }means; pivotally 'mounting each shelf, on said frame at 'one'corner, of said table top for movement in a horizontalplaneywherebyir each shelf may be swu'ng out of the recess in; one side edge of said tabletop to. a'position inralignmentwith and projecting outwardly of the adjacent sideedgeof said table top to provide a poker'table top and whereby 7 V each shelf may. be swung into said recesses with the outerwall of eachshelf in alignment with the adjacent side edge of'said top wall toproyide abridge table top. 3. A convertible bridge and poker'tabletop as defined in claim 1 in which foldabledegs arej mounted on said bottom. wall.

v 4. A convertible'bridge' and poker table top' as defined' in claiml in which said hinge means comprises metallic members secured'to the outer side wall of each ,shelf' and a hinge pin extending through said membersand each diagonal member to pivotally'mount eachshelft.

' 5. A convertible bridge and p oker'table 'topias defined"? in clairn l in which said hinge means comprises spaced ears on the outer end of each diagonal member, a lug projecting from end of the outer side Wall of each shelf and disposed between said ears and hinge pins extending through said ears and lugs to pivotally mount each shelf.

6. A convertible bridge and poker table top as defined in claim 1 in which said bottom wall projects outwardly of said top wall to provide additional shelf space at each corner of said table top when said shelves are extended and to provide a shelf on all sides of said table top when said shelves are in housed position.

7. A convertible bridge and poker table top as defined in claim 1 in which said bottom wall is provided with a. downwardly opening rectangular recess for receiving the top of a support means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blackledge June 11, 1889 Mason Apr. 21, 1908 Burrowes Feb. 13, 1917 Carlson Feb. 17, 1942 Kolodny Oct. 16, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Jan. 5, 1942 Italy J an. 20, 1955 

